My First Centaur

I have completed building my first centaur, and it really is a conglomeration of Wargames Factory pieces. The lower half comes from the Persian Cavalry box. This box is rare in that the horses are completely free of saddles or harnesses - perfect for making centaurs. The torso comes from the Orc box. This does mean that the armor is a bit fantasy, although since it is just leather with a few metal plates attached, it works well enough for Hollywood Greek Myth. These torsos have an advantage because they are reversible and have a slight bend. Having the torso bend upwards helped with construction. Connecting the horse-half to the torso is a big blob of green stuff. I have no real skill when it comes to modelling green stuff. I can only hope that my attempt to cover the join with a tunic skirt looks good enough when painted.

The arms and spear come from the Numidian box. I think the arms might be a bit short; I suppose centaurs should have slightly longer arms than humans if they are relative to their size, but I couldn't be bothered to lengthen them. The head comes from the Greek Heavy Infantry box. It will also get a shield from this box after it is painted.

It's not perfect, but it's not bad for a first attempt. More importantly, I like it more than any of the centaur figures that are commercially available.

I have also based up my first satyr archer. He's a straight out of the pack Wargames Foundry figure, so I haven't bothered to picture him here.

I will now take a break from building and hopefully do some painting. Most wargamers, when building an army, like to paint one unit at a time. This is more efficient, but also dull, and it tends to kill my enthusiasm for a project. I like the variety of painting a few models from various units at a time.

* * *

I just finished reading Book IV of the Odyssey, in which Telemachus, Odyssey's son, goes and visits Menelaus and his wife, Helen. I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Menelaus. Of all of the flawed characters in the Iliad, he actually strikes as one of the most noble and sympathetic of the Achaeans. He is a courageous warrior, who is loyal to his comrades, and willing to fight his own battles. He actually seems to favour the less violent solution when available, and at no point, that I remember anyway, does he commit any of the cruel or treacherous acts that characterize so many of the other Achaeans. In fact, to the modern reader, his is probably much more 'heroic' than Odysseus. His only notable flaw is that he is easily swayed both others, especially his brother Agamemnon.

Interestingly, it is the story of the death of Agamemnon that hangs over the first four books of the Odyssey. I suppose it serves as an example of what could happen to Odysseus when he returns home...